Month: January 2018

OKC Arts Festival

The OKC Arts Festival or Festival of the Arts hosts performances of performing arts, visual arts and culinary arts, and there’s something for the entire community to enjoy. The 2009 OKC Festival of the Arts will be held from April 21-26 at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Downtown Oklahoma City.

144 Plaza Artists from all over the United States would be among those exhibiting in the Visual Arts category on Hudson Avenue. The Myriad Gardens would be hosting an exhibit of kinetic art called the Windscapes, while you could find a really large-scale exhibit of SculpturePark in the Stage Center Lawn. Under the Performing Arts category there would be street performers as well as non-stop entertainment and performing arts in four stages. Food lovers can sample culinary masterpieces by vendors who participate in the International Food Row held under the Culinary Arts category.

Children and families have great hands-on activities to get involved in the Children’s Area, costing only $2. Pottery Place and Creation Station are the other venues ideal for families to visit, and they can also check out face painting. The shopping venue for children only, the Young-At-Art Mart will include affordably priced artwork at or below $5.

The Festival of the Arts OKC has been held since 1967 in the city. Admission to the 2009 OKC Arts Festival is free and the timings are 11 AM to 9 PM Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. Pets aren’t allowed.

Visitors to the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts from outside the city or state can stay conveniently in reputable OKC hotels, partaking of their innate warmth and hospitality.

The OKC Arts Festival hosts performances of performing arts, visual arts and culinary arts. Hotels Oklahoma City – The Bricktown Hotel and Convention Center is one of the finest hotels of OKC and is located only 1.5 miles from Downtown’s Bricktown center.

Health Benefits Of Mixed Martial Arts Training

Mixed martial arts is defined as a complete contact combat sport which involves a number of fighting skills and techniques, from a mixture of other fighting sports, used in competitions. Such training programs are great for the body and help one to improve stamina and strength.

It has been proved by a number of researches that individuals who practice any form of martial arts on a regular basis have high levels of fitness as compared to individuals who don’t. In addition to this, they also have a stronger immune system. These training programs are considered good for individuals suffering from innumerable health troubles like high cholesterol level, cardiac problems, high blood pressure, breathing difficulty, poor circulation and many others.

Some of the major benefits offered by MMA training programs are given below:

Increases flexibility and strength
This is one of the major benefits offered by such training programs. Regular training helps in the strengthening and toning of muscles thus increasing body flexibility. One becomes physical stronger and capable of defending himself from any kind of physical attack. Moreover, these training programs also help in muscle strengthening and stress release.

Weight loss programs
This is another major benefit associated with such training programs. Such programs are considered good for weight loss and help one to have a healthy and slim body.

Increases mind sharpness
Learning martial arts not only makes a person physically stronger but mentally sharper as well. The training involves good concentration and self control and thus improves coordination between the mind, body and soul.

Thus, mixed martial arts training provides innumerable health benefits to individuals and is becoming immensely popular worldwide. There are innumerable organizations which are offering MMA courses as per the needs of individuals.

Arts, Culture and Festivals of Ireland

Ireland is a country rich in arts, culture and festivals. As a holiday tourist, you are welcome to ancient old tradition and customs that have defied modernity by preserving their unique presentation of the ideals of the Irish people.

Though a visitor to Ireland may come across a lot of cultural expressions, the most notable of these are real Irish music, art, literature which can be found in the capital city of Dublin and other towns. No matter how these customs are expressed, the vacationer will recognize the deep roots of Irish heritage.

A cultural tour to Ireland will introduce you to the woks of literary luminaries such as Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde who have produced marvelous pieces of writing. These authors have brought glory and honor to Irish literature and are celebrated in the country. On a holiday in Ireland, you will be able to take part in festivals that celebrate the literary masterpieces of these renowned writers.

A tour to Ireland will also get you listening and dancing to Irish music. Though music forms part of the social life of these people, it is composed and played with a different purpose to bring talk about the culture of the people and how they treasure it. From rural cottages to large pubs in the cities, you will find musicians with local instruments performing to the admiration of audiences.

You will also come to appreciate the dynamic and superb theatrical performance of the countrys rich culture and tradition. You can visit the Barabbas Theater Company in Dublin, Yeats Theater Company in Sligo, the National Folk Theater of Ireland in Kerry County, the Lyric Theater in Antrim, the Grianan Theater in Donegal and the Town Hall Theater in Galway to watch opera or Irish drama.

Your visit to Ireland must include a visit to the Belleek Pottery. This is one of Irelands oldest and most fascinating attractions. The pottery makes original and unique pieces of clay products using traditional methods passed down from generation to generation. One of the most collectable and prized sets is the Black Mark range. The Belleek Pottery was established in 1857 and is recognized as holding a central place in the cultural heritage of County Fermanagh. It is located n the picturesque village of Belleek on the banks of the Lough Erne. This attractive building is home to the world famous Belleek Fine Parian China and Belleek Visitor Centre. As a tourist, you can take part in guided tours, walk around the on-site museum or visit the audio visual theatre. Additionally, there is the gift shop where visitors can purchase authentic Belleek products.

A holiday trip to Ireland offers many picturesque attractions and cultural sites for the visitor. To get the best, you need to walk most of the time so you can interact with the people, learn about their customs and appreciate their traditions which are mainly expressed through music, theater arts and festivals.

Why Students Drop Out Of The Martial Arts The First Month!

This is sort of a question with lots of importance. Nobody has ever come up with a reason for the phenomena, and yet people have tried virtually everything in the world to keep students from leaving. I mean, they were doing good, they were excited, and then they disappeared.

The answer for this problem, and a way to keep enrollment high, is possible through something called Matrix Martial Arts. Matrixing is a technology that introduces logic to the martial arts. The fact of discovering why students drop out came to light because of it.

To understand this problem of student drop out we must understand that there is a problem with the martial arts themselves. I don’t care what you are teaching, be it karate or kung fu or wudan or that rare form of Kenpo, the fact of the matter is that you are teaching by having students memorize random strings of data. With respect, I offer that this is the most inefficient method of learning that there is.

Memorizing random strings of data is an oral tradition that worked when people couldn’t read nor write. Now, how ever, the written word has come into its own, and people can avail themselves of such things as mind mapping, computers, and good, solid logic. This thing of logic is extremely important when one uses Matrix Martial Arts.

Matrixing is the analysis and handling of flow and force. It is a method for laying out a gridwork of martial arts techniques, and being able to quickly and efficiently sort through the techniques until you have the exact and only answer. It is so efficient that people who learn matrixing achieve intuition with their art within months, not years, as is common with the traditional arts.

When matrixing methods were first released, when students were enabled to view all the martial arts as a unique and order body of knowledge, one thing became obvious, there were a lot of blank spots in the martial arts. No matter how many arts one knows, it can’t compare with being able to see all the data. Students who can see the whole picture are always able to learn at a faster rate and in a more efficient manner.

And, students who left early in their training were found to be confused by the blank spots in their education. Learning the martial arts were like learning languages without all the letters. The data appeared illogical, so they left.

The truth of the matter is that students aren’t going to stick with what doesn’t make sense. No matter how much incredible fun they are having, the brain rejects the data, the hardware loses the software, the student refuses the martial arts, simply because the subject has become confusing, and has not been made logical and simple. In a word, no matter whether you teach karate or kung fu or that rare and esoteric style of Tai Chi, you will not be able to keep students unless you matrix your art, and matrix your students, and, the fact of the matter is…you , too, may someday feel like hanging up your gi.

The 2012 National Black Arts Festival

The National Black Arts Festival is an Atlanta festival that celebrates the art, music, and culture of people of African descent. The family friendly festival is scheduled from July 6-15 and includes activities such as literary, musical, and theater performances, fine arts exhibits, and an international market. Although a few events are ticketed, many of the activities are free.

The main weekend of the festival is July 12-15, with many activities taking place at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Festival attendees can visit the International Marketplace, which will feature artisans from all over the world. Offerings will include paintings, sculpture, clothing, jewelry, and other items. In past years exhibitors have come from such diverse places as Jamaica, Haiti, South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Brazil, Canada, and India. The kids will be entertained at the Childrens Educational Village. This years theme will be Destination Africa and Beyond. There will be musical entertainment all weekend from the concert stage. Local and international chefs will be giving cooking demonstrations at the Publix Healthy Cooking Pavilion. Attendees can learn to prepare healthy and balanced foods as well as enjoy tasty samples. All of these activities are free to the public.

Several other free events are planned during the festival. City Gallery at Chastain will present JOuvert: At the Devils Playground, featuring the work of Jamaican born photographer Radcliffe Roye. The exhibition, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence, will run from June 14-July 28. An artist talk is planned for June 30 from 1-3pm. Pre-registration is required for the talk. Jah Music- A Celebration of Traditional Jamaican Music, featuring the Tallawah Mento Band, will take place on June 24 at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. The program is scheduled for 3-5pm, and pre-registration is required.

There will be two free screenings of A Raisin in the Sun at the Southwest Arts Center. This will be the original film version of Lorraine Hansberrys play starring Claudia McNeil, Sidney Poitier, and Ruby Dee. Screening dates are July 6, and a special screening for seniors and students on July 11.

The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery will host an exhibition of intimate photos of Michael Jackson by his personal photographer, Todd Gray. The Gray Room with Act 1 of the Performance Piece, Caliban in the Mirror is scheduled for July 6-August 31. The Coretta Scott King Book Fair will be held on July 11 at the Central Branch of the Atlanta Fulton Library. Attendees will meet award winning author Walter Dean Myers and award winning illustrator Michele Wood. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.

The festival also includes several ticketed events. Those events include a gala fundraiser and tribute to actress Ruby Dee on July 14. The play Guess Whos Coming to Dinner? will run July 10-29. There will be an exhibition of the art of Vivian Schuyler Key at the Hammonds House Museum and the exhibition Rise Up: Hale Woodruffs Murals from Talladega College at the High Museum of Art. A benefit event for the National Black Arts Festival, Slavery By Another Name: The Dialogue is planned for July 12.